Fastening device for a snowboard brake

ABSTRACT

A fastening device or removable brake device ( 4 ) on a snowboard comprises an active braking part in the form of a movable brake heel that is flexibly joined to a base section arranged on the snowboard. The base section and the snowboard each include structure that allows the base section to slide to the intended position on the snowboard and structure, which in a retaining manner, locks the base section in place on the snowboard.

The present invention concerns a fastening device for a snowboard brake.

The normal method of preventing a snowboard from running away when the user takes it off is to fasten it with a strap. A disadvantage in using a strap is that it can fasten to protruding objects in the snow and that riders think it is difficult to use. Previously known are also brakes that can be operated with the rider's foot and are activated when the rider takes it off. A normal method of fastening is to screw the brake device to the snowboard, either between the bindings or under one of the bindings. One disadvantage with this type of brake device is that its position is fixed and cannot be adjusted. This means the brake device will not move when necessary and may damage the snowboard if the brake is mounted on the snowboard. Brakes that are integrated in the bindings are also known. The disadvantage with this type is that the rotation of the bindings is limited in relation to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard and that individual choice of brake location is not possible without modifying the position of the bindings. Another disadvantage is that in some cases the bindings can break away from the snowboard, which means that the function of a brake integrated with the binding loses its effect and the snowboard can still run away down the hill.

The position of the brake device may need adjustment for example when the rider wishes to adjust the foot angle and thereby the binding angle in relation to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard. This means that the position of the brake must also be adjusted as it is operated by one foot. Another example is where rental snowboards are available and many different riders will be using the same snowboard and a number of different brake positions will be required. A degree of simplicity when adjusting snowboard equipment, such as bindings and brakes, is necessary as it must be done in as short a time as possible and in a simple and flexible manner.

One object with the present invention is to achieve a fastening device for a removable brake device on a snowboard, which is easy to use and mount, and eases or completely remedies the aforesaid disadvantages. Another object is to achieve a fastening device that is cost-efficient and simple in design.

These objects are attained with a fastening device exhibiting the characteristics specified in claim 1.

The invention is described more fully in the following with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate examples of selected embodiments, where

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a fastening device in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section along the line II-II of a groove machined into the snowboard,

FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of a locking washer,

FIG. 4 shows an enlargement of a fastening device according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment,

FIG. 6 shows an enlargement of an embodiment according to FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 shows a detailed view of a locking washer,

FIG. 8 shows a cross-section along the line VIII-VIII of the groove according to FIG. 5 and the brake device mounted in the groove,

FIG. 9 shows another alternative embodiment,

FIG. 10 shows an enlargement of an embodiment according to FIG. 9,

FIGS. 11 and 12 showed enlargements of a locking sleeve and a locking washer,

FIG. 13 shows another embodiment,

FIG. 14 shows a detailed enlargement of an embodiment according to FIG. 13 and

FIGS. 15 and 16 shows a cross-section of the strip and the groove according to FIG. 14.

A snowboard 1 is designed with two short sides and two long sides 2, 2′. On the snowboard 1 is one binding 3 for each foot. The bindings 3 are usually arranged more or less transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard 1 at a suitable distance from each other. This position means the rider is facing to one side of the snowboard 1 instead of straight ahead as is the case with normal skiing. The bindings 3 are also designed so that the rider can rotate the binding 3 in relation to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard 1. This is so that it is possible to obtain an individual angle for the feet in relation to the angle of attack of the snowboard 1 to the gradient of the hill. The brake 4 must be moved forward or back depending on the degree of rotation of the binding 3.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a movement of this type is possible through the arrangement to the snowboard 1 of a guide in the form of a groove 5 in which part of the brake device 4 is mounted. The groove 5, as shown in FIG. 2, extending at least past the whole length of the front binding 3, is made by means of milling or other suitable method in the snowboard 1 and has a T-shaped cross-section opening into the top of the snowboard. In at least one end of the opening, as shown in FIG. 4, is arranged a widening 7 slightly larger than the width of the groove 5 to receive a means of locking in the form of a locking washer 8, 8′ described in the following text.

The brake device 4 comprises a base section 11 with a pair of rotatable locking washers 8, 8′ with protruding catches as shown in FIG. 3. The locking washers 8, 8′ are T-shaped with a shaft 12 arranged to the base section 11 and positioned at its front and rear part pointing down. At the lower part of the shaft 12 is arranged a pair of protruding catches in the form of locking pins 30 intended to interact with the groove 5. The part of the shaft 12, i.e. the part of the locking washers 8, 8′ opening into the top of the base section 11, comprises a groove 14 for a screwdriver. When mounting the brake device 4 to the snowboard 1, the locking washers 8, 8′ are turned to a position where the locking pins 13 are parallel to the groove 5 opening. The brake device 4 is moved down towards the snowboard 1 so that the locking washers 8, 8′ run inside the groove 5. After this, the brake device 4 slides in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 4 along the groove 5 to the intended position, after which the locking washers 8, 8′ are rotated one quarter of a turn, i.e. 90 degrees. With the locking washers 8, 8′ in this position, the locking pins 13 will lock the brake device 4 base section 11 in the groove 5 on the snowboard 1.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the guide is designed as a strip 9 glued or in some other way fastened to the top 6 of the snowboard 1. The strip 9 is made of an elastic material, such as thin metal, composite or a type of plastic, to follow the movement of the snowboard 1 when in use and with a cross-section in the shape of a cut down cone with its wider base turned towards the bottom of the snowboard 1, walls directed obliquely upwards, and its narrow opening face up. With the strip 9 fastened to the top of the snowboard 1, a groove 9′ as shown in FIG. 8 is obtained extending past at least the full length of the front binding 3. The position of the guide is determined by the appearance of the brake device 4. Usually, the guide is arranged to one long side of the snowboard 1 that it should be understood that the guide can be arranged in any position on the snowboard 1, as long as the brake heel 10 of the brake device 4 when unfolded extends outside the side 2, 2′ of the snowboard 1 and when folded in does not obstruct the use of the snowboard.

The locking washer 8, 8′, as shown in FIG. 7, is designed with a head 15 with a similar cone shaped cross-section as the strip 9. When mounting the brake device 4, the head 15, as shown in FIG. 6, is inserted into the openings at the ends of the strip 9, the brake device 4 slides along the strip 9 to the desired position and is locked in place with a screw 16 arranged on the top of the locking washer 8, 8′. By turning the screw 16, the head is pressed up against the vertical walls of the strip 9, while the base section 11 of the brake device 4 is pressed against the snowboard 1, fixing the brake device 4.

In another alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the top of the snowboard 1 is arranged with a mounting part in the form of threaded inserts 17 on each side of the binding 3, viewed along its length and breadth. In these threaded inserts 17 are screwed guides in the form of locking washers the 8, 8′ with an appearance shown in FIG. 12 but with the locking pins 13 parallel to the length of the snowboard 1. The base section 1 1 of the brake device 4 comprises a continuous through groove 18 as shown in FIG. 10. In the groove 18 is arranged a pair are rotatable locking sleeves 19 that run freely along the length of the said groove 18.

As shown in FIG. 11, the locking sleeves 19 are arranged with a groove along the length of the inside periphery of the locking sleeve 19 and running in a spiral from the bottom and up and finishing in a depression with a shape corresponding to the shape of the locking pins 30. The brake device 4 groove 18 and sleeves 19 are positioned to the locking washers 8, 8′, moved to the desired position and pressed down against the snowboard 1. Subsequently, the sleeves 19 are rotated one quarter of a turn, i.e. 90°. During this rotation, the locking washer 8, 8′ locking pins 13 follow in the spiral grooves in the sleeves. The spiral shape of the groove means that the brake device 4 is pressed against the top of the snowboard 1 and the brake device 4 is locked with the locking washer 8, 8′ locking pins 13 resting inside the depression in the sleeves 19.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the top of the snowboard 1 is arranged with a guide in the form of a runner 21 with an I-shaped cross-section, i.e. with a vertical centre 23 with a lower and upper end shaped as horizontal sections 22, 22′ extending outside the confining sides of the centre 23 as shown in FIG. 15. The runner 21 is made of an elastic material, such as thin metal, composite or a type of plastic, in order to follow the bending of the snowboard 1 that occurs in use and extends past at least the full length of the front binding 3. The lower horizontal part 22 of the runner 21 is glued or in some other way fastened to the snowboard 1, and the upper horizontal part 22′ of the runner 21 is intended to fit into a continuous groove 24 arranged to the base section 11 of the brake device 4, which has been given a corresponding I-shaped cross-section as shown in FIG. 16.

When mounting the brake device, one end of the groove 24 on the base section 11 of the brake device 4 is positioned to the end of the runner 21, after which the brake device 4 slides along the runner 21 in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 14 to the desired position. Then, the brake device 4 is locked with the locking screw 25 arranged on the base section 11 that when rotated locks the brake device 4 to the runner 21.

The different embodiments described above can be varied in several different ways. Important with respect to the design of the guide and the means of locking is that they are designed so that the locking means has a shape that corresponds with the guide and which allows an adjustable fitting of one inside the other, between end positions extending past at least the entire length of the front binding 3, irrespective of whether the guide is arranged in the snowboard 1 or in the base section 11 of the brake device 4 and, after the brake device 4 has been given the desired position, the possibility of locking it effectively.

The present invention is not limited to the above description and as illustrated in the drawings but can be changed and modified in a number of different ways within the framework of the idea of invention specified in the following claims. 

1. Device for fitting a brake device (4) to a snowboard (1), the brake device (4) comprising an active braking part in the form of a movable brake heel (10) that is flexibly joined to the base section (11) arranged on the snowboard (1), characterised in that the base section (11) and the snowboard (1) each comprises means (5, 8, 8′, 9, 21, 24) that allow the base section (11) to slide to the intended position on the snowboard (1) and means (19, 25), which in a retaining manner, lock the base section (11) in place on the snowboard (1).
 2. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the means (5, 8, 8′, 9, 21, 24) comprise a male and a female part respectively in the form of a continuous groove (5, 9, 24) and adjustable locking washers (8, 8′, 21) in the groove.
 3. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the means (19, 25) secure the locking washers (8, 8′, 21) in the groove (5, 9, 24) through a clamping interaction with the base section (11) and the snowboard (1).
 4. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the groove (5, 9, 21, 24) extending at least past the entire length of one binding (3).
 5. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the groove (5, 9, 21, 24) is arranged in conjunction with one of the long sides (2, 2′) of the snowboard (1).
 6. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the groove (5, 9) is designed with a cross-section exhibiting a shape and dimension corresponding to the locking washer (8, 8′).
 7. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the groove (5) comprises a continuous recess in the top of the snowboard.
 8. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the groove is formed of a strip (9) glued or in some other way affixed to the top of the snowboard (1).
 9. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the locking washers (8, 8′) are arranged to the side of the base (11) of the brake device (4), which is facing the snowboard (1).
 10. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the locking washers (8, 8′) are arranged to the top of the snowboard (1).
 11. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the groove (18, 24) is arranged to the base section (11) of the brake device (4) and comprises a cross-section corresponding to the shape of the locking washer (8, 8′, 21).
 12. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the locking washers (8, 8′) comprise locking pins (13), the locking washers (8, 8′) being mounted on the snowboard (1) with threaded inserts (17) arranged in depressions on the top of the snowboard (1).
 13. Device in accordance with claim 12, characterised in that the threaded inserts (17) are arranged in pairs at a distance from each other at the front binding seen in the direction of riding.
 14. Device in accordance with claim 12, characterised in that the threaded inserts (17) are arranged in pairs on both sides of the respective binding (3).
 15. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the locking washer comprises a continuous runner (21) with an I-shaped cross-section arranged with its base (22′) on the top of the snowboard (1).
 16. Device in accordance with with claim 14, characterised in that the base (11) of the brake device (4) is arranged with a continuous through groove (18) with a cross-section corresponding to the I-shaped runner (21).
 17. Device in accordance with claim 7, characterised in that the strip (9) and runner (21) comprise an elastic compliant material.
 18. Device in accordance with claim 16, characterised in that the strip comprises a polymeric material. 